Source: News on Air
Context: On Dhanvantari Jayanti, celebrated as the 9th Ayurveda Day, the Prime Minister will launch the expansion of health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above as a major addition to the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
- This will help provide health coverage to all senior citizens regardless of their income.
About Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY):
- Launch year: 2018, as a flagship scheme focused on accessible healthcare for India’s vulnerable families.
- Objective: Provides health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakhs per family annually for secondary and tertiary hospital care.
- Coverage: Currently covers 55 crore individuals across 12.34 crore families nationwide.
- Key features:
- Universal health access: Seeks to ensure no citizen, especially the marginalized, is deprived of healthcare.
- Health and Wellness Centres (HWCS): Target of 1,50,000 HWCs to offer primary healthcare, emphasizing preventive and curative services.
- Expanded senior citizen coverage: Recently expanded to include all senior citizens 70+, offering coverage irrespective of income.
- Financial protection: Reduces out-of-pocket healthcare expenses for low-income families by covering a wide array of medical treatments.
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